Bobbi Schaben - Christ-Centered, Intentional, Natural Motherhood

A little hope for us today!

This is a beautiful testimonial from my cousin, Jacquelyn Jo! I’m so proud of her!

🙏🏻Hitting rock bottom
🙏🏻A husband with cancer
🙏🏻Infertility
🙏🏻A marriage on the brink of divorce
🙏🏻One question that changed it all

If you died today, would you go to Heaven?

Video now available of Jacquelyn Schultz's testimony from Rejoice!

http://www.saylorvillechurch.com/2021/12/08/jacquelyn-schultzs-testimony-at-rejoice/

I just finished this AMAZING book I received at church on Sunday!

I highly recommend it for church leaders, married couples, parents, and grandparents. It gives practical ideas for how to live intentionally, equipping families for a lifetime of loving each other and Jesus.

I was fascinated by the research on why young people leave the Christian faith and strategies churches are using to support families in conquering this devastating trend.

*Approximately 11 years ago Travis and I prayed for a church with a ministry like HomePointe (although we didn’t know the name at the time). The closest one we could find was 2 hours away. It warms my heart to know more churches are adopting these principles!

Thank God for the blessings of children in our sanctuaries!

Give me a church filled with children because that means it’s a church that’s growing.

Along with children, comes noise.

They’re gonna be loud from time to time.

They’ll occasionally be noisy.

They may even grow rambunctious.

But God created those children.

His word tells us that when certain people tried to turn the children away from Him, Jesus took them unto Himself.

Jesus loves the children.

The church should do no less.

Give me the noise because that means there are children.

And children aren’t just the church of tomorrow, they are the church of today.

Instagram.com/insidethepastorswife

While taking an occupational therapy continuing education course this morning I learned about this helpful website.

https://www.printablepaper.net/

Printablepaper.net makes it possible to print almost any kind of paper you can imagine from home. You'll find lined paper, graph paper, check register pages, music notepaper, and so much more!

From what I can see, all of the pages are free to print!

You are going to want to bookmark this page!

Printable Paper Free Printable Paper in PDF format

This post is for those of you who don't feel comfortable telling your children that Santa is real; yet, you don't want your little ones to blow the "secret" for other families.

We experienced that Santa Dilemma when our oldest was just a baby. After much prayer, this is how we handled it.

Words cannot express our gratitude for these unique traditions!

What seemed hopeless 16 years ago, has turned into some of the best Christmas memories of our lives!

Celebrating Santa Claus Authentically - Bobbi Schaben The story of Santa Claus is more than a fairytale. Saint Nicholas is a real historical figure who loved Jesus and made a difference!

Sometimes it’s the little things...

I have no idea where this heart came from, but it was on my blanket today.

“Love never fails!” 1 Corinthians 13:8

I'm the first to admit I often struggle in this area. Even today, pizza, french fries, and bread made from modern-day wheat are some of my quick and easy favorites. (Yes, I may flunk certain sections of my own Wiggles Away class. 😉)

I've learned the hard way though. When I was in college I ate almost an entire pound of M&Ms every day. Fried foods and sugar were a staple. Vegetables, with the exception of salads, were almost non-existent.

My health hit rock bottom and physicians told me I'd struggle for the rest of my life.

God's word and the guidance from amazing Christian health educators set me free. Of course, I needed to implement the strategies I was taught to experience the results.

My diet is still far from perfect, but it is much improved. My health has been transformed. I feel better now than I did in my late twenties. Words can't express my gratitude for this amazing blessing!

If you struggle with discomfort, low energy levels, or ailments of any kind. Don't give up! God has big plans for you!

Step-by-step make improvements in your lifestyle. Eat healthily, minimize ingredients in food and personal care products that will harm you, move your body, laugh, love, and worship.

You are meant to thrive!

I was looking through papers earlier today and came across this.

I love how God gives you what you need, right when you need it. 🙏🏻

Maybe it will speak to you like it did me.

I’ve made yogurt before, but never in the Instant Pot. Wow! It was so easy and delicious, especially with this granola.

Orange essential oil might be a fantastic yogurt add-in.

What would you add to the yogurt?

It's Cyber Monday! Have you grabbed yourself any deals yet?

Travis is using this opportunity to pick up filters for our Berkey.

Have I mentioned how much my family loves the Berkey? It's given us delicious, clean water for over 5 years.

Unlike many water filters on the market, the Berkey maintains healthy minerals while removing toxins.

This filtration system can be a life-saver in case of emergencies. Gravity alone pulls the water through the filter, so electricity is not needed. Use it to filter pond or ditch water if no other sources of hydration are available.

Use my affiliate link and grab yourself or a loved one a Berkey! You'll love it!
https://www.berkeyfilters.com/collections/berkey-water-filter-systems?a_aid=5e227cac63faa&a_bid=a3ff35fa

Have a super, terrific day!

Berkey Water Filter Systems We stock a full selection of Berkey Water Filter System models. The Berkey water filtration system is the best gravity-fed water purifier for home use.

I just finished my last blog post for the Homeschool Review Crew. You won't see any curriculum reviews from me for a while.

This review was different because it wasn't a curriculum review at all. Instead, it was a gift with meaning.

As the holiday season approaches, NameCards by CrossTimber may be a unique idea for you.

CrossTimber: A Gift with Meaning - Bobbi Schaben Have you been looking for a gift with meaning? CrossTimber NameCards may be the perfect option. This is my honest review.

Here I go! Something I've been praying about for days, but have been too scared to do.

I come to bring unity as I know this is an issue most people haven't thought of.

Thousands of us have religious convictions against mask-wearing. Yes, I am one of them. (I don't deny that I have worn masks in the past before I spent time in word and prayer about it. )

We aren't rebellious, disobedient folks who don't care. Based on the information we have, we believe we are loving our neighbors and submitting to Godly authority. (Right or wrong, that is between each individual and God.)

This week I stepped down from a leadership position that I was passionate about b/c I just couldn't wear the mask when the spirit inside of me was telling me to do otherwise.

Now, those of us with religious convictions against masking are under persecution. The fact that we have to strategically plan how to put food on the table for our families b/c most local stores don't let us in, is just one example.

I'm not asking for sympathy or for you to agree with our viewpoints, I just want to be a voice for those around the world who are currently being asked to make the choice between moral convictions and worldly authority.

These are some of the questions I've been asking myself, praying over, and researching deeply. Most I have answers to. A couple I do not.

🤷‍♀️Pre-covid what did the word mask make you think of?

🤷‍♀️Are those things of God?

🤷‍♀️Are masks healthy to wear?

🤷‍♀️Would God use something that isn't healthy for us to protect us? Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

🤷‍♀️Are masks unifying or dividing?

🤷‍♀️In the Bible, how did God protect Israelites from the plague? Was it with a mask, drug, or something else? (Check out Exodus for your answer.)

🤷‍♀️When the Lord had people quarantine, who was supposed to quarantine?

🤷‍♀️What does it mean to be made in God's image?

🤷‍♀️Many people feel masks dehumanize. Toddlers look in the mirror and see their facial characteristics and recognize their uniqueness. Do masks depersonalize?

🤷‍♀️Is it right for me to cover up the smile God gave me that was supposed to be used for bringing joy to others?

🤷‍♀️We are called to submit to authority. Where should that line be drawn?

🤷‍♀️Were there cases in the Bible in which the people disobeyed worldly authority, that contradicted God's commands, to honor Godly authority?

🤷‍♀️Did God punish them for that or did he use them as an example?

🤷‍♀️The Hebrew word for mask is "masecha". What context is that used in the Bible?

🤷‍♀️What are the roots of masking? Was it Satanic?

🤷‍♀️Looking at history, did revivals and soul-winning happen because they were people-pleasing or b/c they were bold, courageous, and could not be silenced?

🤷‍♀️When I'm praising the Lord in song, would He want me voluntarily masking or is that muzzling my worship?

🤷‍♀️Moses wore a veil because the people were scared of him. Is there a difference between a mask and a veil? Did he leave the veil on when talking to God?

⭐️People will have different paradigms and look at issues from multiple angles and often they are both in the spirit of love and obedience. Though two people have different viewpoints that doesn't mean either one of them is wrong based on their own personal convictions. It's an individual attitude of the heart. "Am I doing my best based on the information I currently have? Is my decision based on direction from God or pressure from man?"

❤️Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Romans 12:12.

❤️Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measures you use, it will be measured back to you. Matthew 7: 1-2

Please pray for me on this journey!

They were verses I put in my office months ago, but I sure needed to remind myself of them today.

How are you all doing?

When we gave up most white processed sugar a few years ago we had no idea how to still make delicious goodies.

Now, Pinterest is loaded with healthy ideas.

If you haven't already, like and follow my Pinterest page. There you will find a large collection of healthy alternative meals, snacks, and desserts.

Homemade Maple-Sweetened Blueberry Muffins - Live Simply A simple and wholesome real food blueberry muffin that's made with only a few pantry and fridge staples and one bowl! It only takes 10 minutes to whisk...

I have no words!

I can’t remember if I read this story or heard it in a documentary a few months back, but it made a major impact on me. I then heard a pastor from Virginia share the story in a sermon he delivered to his church the week before the election. Fast forward to Monday, while reading the book When A Nation Forgets God by Erwin Lutzer, (https://amzn.to/36G79hx)I read the story yet again. I just had to share it with you here today.

I lived in Germany during the N**i Holocaust. I considered myself a Christian. We heard stories of what was happening to the Jews, but we tried to distance ourselves from it, because, what could anyone do to stop it?

A railroad track ran behind our small church and each Sunday morning we could hear the whistle in the distance and then the wheels coming over the tracks. We became disturbed when we heard the cries coming from the train as it passed by. We realized that it was carrying Jews like cattle in the cars.

Week after week the whistle would blow. We dreaded to hear the sound of those wheels because we knew that we would hear the cries of the Jews en route to a death camp. Their screams tormented us.

We knew the time the train was coming and when we heard the whistle blow we began singing hymns. By the time the train came past our church we were singing at the top of our voices. If we heard the screams, we sang more loudly and soon we heard them no more.

Years have passed and no one talks about it anymore. But I still hear that train whistle in my sleep. God forgive me; forgive all of us who called ourselves Christians yet did nothing to intervene.

As I read that, I can’t imagine what the people in those churches felt as they heard those cries. It makes me sick to my stomach. I am sure they felt hopeless. What can one person do? You seem so small and the world seems so big. The evil is raging out of control, how can you make a difference? I am also sure they lived in great fear. They knew if they tried to help in any way, they would meet the same fate.

I watched the documentary Agenda: Grinding America Down right before the last election and I couldn’t go to sleep that night. All I could think about was HOW can we be a voice for change? What actions can we take to reverse the agenda that’s been set out for the souls of this Nation? If you haven’t watched that documentary, I highly suggest it. If you want to dive in deeper, read The Naked Communist. (https://amzn.to/3jE8NV6) It’s that documentary on steroids.

The bottom line is, there has been an agenda established to grind down the morality of our Nation. One key component is to remove God from our institutions and then to forget our foundation was built on Him. The foundation of all we do. Remove God from our Government, Education, Business, Family, and all the other “spheres” of influence. Did you know there was even an agenda to infiltrate the church? Yep, it was on the list.

When I think of the church, I not only think of the four walls of a building, but WE are the church. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to allow the enemy to grind me down. I refuse to allow the enemy to steal the foundation we were built on. I refuse to allow the enemy to cover me in fear or have me believe I am only one person and I can’t stand up and make a difference.

Hear me loud and clear. A politician will never be the answer to our problems. The answer is getting our Nation back to the foundation it was built upon. It took the enemy years to grind us down, but thankfully we have an Almighty powerful God who can do things at warp speed. Can you imagine what it would look like if we the Church linked arms and infused God back into all we do?

I will continue to take action and speak up, rather than sing louder as the train goes by.

I'm always on the lookout for character-building books my children will love. The Adventures of Rooney Cruz books are some of our favorites!

If you have a little girl, definitely look into getting this one!


Truth Becomes Her Homeschool Review Crew

The Adventures of Rooney Cruz RINGLEADERS Review - Bobbi Schaben The Adventures of Rooney Cruz RINGLEADERS collection helps mothers and daughters to bond while learning to use their voices for God and good.

Drive Thru History Adventures did it again!

Bible Unearthed is fascinating!

I'm so grateful the Homeschool Review Crew gave my family the opportunity to embark on the journey of discovering archeological evidence for the Bible.

We are having so much fun!

I highly recommend adding Drive Thru History Adventures to your school day and Biblical studies!

We received Bible Unearthed in exchange for an honest review. Check it out here!

Bible Unearthed: The Archeology of Biblical Truths - Bobbi Schaben Bring the Bible alive with Bible Unearthed! Discover evidence for Biblical events, explore archeology, and grow your faith like never before.

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in
exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

MathandAlgebra.com is a subscription-based math curriculum for students learning basic math all the way up to those in algebra.
https://mathandalgebra.com

The thing that really stood out to me was the simplicity of this curriculum. There was a dry-erase board video of the concept, printable worksheet, and answer guide for each lesson.

I loved the "helpful hints" section that was on most of the worksheets. I think back to the time I spent learning math as a child and know I would have loved helpful hints for my homework.

The professor's voice was also very calm and relaxing. It was a great fit for learning a complex subject like math that can sometimes feel overwhelming.

The one thing I didn't love was the large jumps between skill levels of the lessons. For that reason, I wasn't quite sure how this would work for a primary math curriculum.

That may just be because we weren't using MathandAlgebra.com as our primary curriculum. At the time of this review, we were already committed to another curriculum that we'd been using for over a decade, so we simply looked over this resource and tried out a few of the tools.

Moving forward, we may use MathandAlgebra.com as a supplement if our children get stuck on a concept.

Be sure to check out the Homeschool Review Crew for more MathandAlgebra.com reviews.
http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/math-algebra-family-subscription-mathandalgebra-com-reviews/

, ,

It's November!

Enjoy these fun Thanksgiving crafts to do with your children.

*Thank you For Every Mom!

3 Easy Thanksgiving Crafts to Make With Your Kids That They Will Love We love these three creative yet simple Thanksgiving crafts that make celebrating this season even more fun.

You hear me talking a lot about essential oils and removing toxic air fresheners. This is another option.

Save and freeze your scrap apple cores and orange peels. Put them in a mini crock pot with some water, cinnamon and maybe even rosemary. Turn the crock on and enjoy the aroma of your cozy home.

😉

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in
exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

Have you heard of Smart Kidz Radio?
https://smartkidzradio.com/

For the past few weeks, our family has had the opportunity to experience Smart Kidz Radio: Member's On-Demand Radio Programming Library in exchange for an honest review.

We smiled, laughed, and giggled while listening to fun songs about math, social skills, science, and even Spanish. Bible songs and storytime were two of our favorite activities.

My youngest child has been challenged with learning multiplication facts, so the music was an exciting tool we could use to help her retain the information.

As a Christian, I would recommend using caution with some of the resources in Smart Kidz Radio as we did hear a science audio refer to "millions of years ago" rather than the younger earth described in the Bible.

Used selectively, however, I feel I would have really loved a resource like this when my children were younger.

If you have young children and want to give them the gift of learning with help from music, Smart Kidz Radio may be for you.

20% of membership fees will be donated to the Smart Kidz Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage young people to make a difference in their own lives and for the people around them.

Be sure to check out the Homeschool Review Crew for more Smart Kidz Radio reviews.
http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/smart-kidz-radio-members-on-demand-radio-program-library-smart-kidz-radio-reviews/

#

October sounds like a great time for pumpkin spice einkorn muffins!

I'm definitely going to have to give this recipe by Live Simply a try.

Einkorn Pumpkin Spice Muffins (Naturally-Sweetened) - Live Simply (TESTED AND PERFECTED) Homemade pumpkin spice muffins made with einkorn flour, pumpkin, a natural sweetener, and pumpkin pie spice. Naturally sweetener.

I miss hugs, don’t like masks, and wish smiles and eye contact were as common as they were in 2019.

Friends were lost in 2020, the weather has been wild, and the unknowns of the future of this country are concerning.

Even through it all 2020 brings blessings too!

2020 has made me even more grateful for our freedoms of speech, health, education, religion, etc. These are definitely not something to take for granted!

I’m learning to stand up for what I believe, persevere through challenges, and cling to God for direction and strength.

It’s easy to stay joyful during good times. The true test is seeing the good when the world feels dark.

We don’t have to wait for January to enjoy our year. Choose joy today!

What’s one thing you are grateful for in 2020? Comment below and tag a friend.

It’s time to fill Facebook feeds with positivity and love!

Mask or no mask, don’t forget to smile!

Some moms find money and candy in their pockets, I find hair bands and oils.

What is the strangest thing you’ve ever found in a pocket?

Subscribe to the newsletter to receive exclusive access to my resource library.

Within the library you'll find prayer calendars for health, scripture affirmations for moms, essential oil diffuser blends, and more.

Empower yourself today! https://bobbischaben.ck.page/bc9b59643f

I wish I could say that I made einkorn muffins regularly, but I don't.

Most of the time we eat quick breakfasts like smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, and sometimes eggs.

I need to start freezing muffins like we do pancakes. 😀

What's your favorite breakfast?

Einkorn Banana-Maple Muffins (Naturally-Sweetened) - Live Simply Banana muffins made with einkorn flour and a natural sweetener, maple syrup. Simple, easy, homemade einkorn banana muffins.

It's been a busy season of experiencing a variety of homeschool curricula and writing reviews about them.

I was really excited to be chosen as a reviewer for the Structure and Style for Students Year 1 Level C (High School) writing curriculum by the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW).

For years I'd been hearing great things about IEW.

The Homeschool Review Crew provided us with the supplies we needed in exchange for an honest review.

It was a fantastic experience I am so grateful for. We'll definitely continue working through these resources as the year progresses. Isaac is really enjoying writing with Structure and Style for Students.

Do you think the curriculum from IEW may be for you? Use my link provided in the blog post to receive three free weeks of access to the videos.

Institute for Excellence in Writing®: A Writing Curriculum Review - Bobbi Schaben After experiencing Structure and Style for Students Level C, I'm honored to share this writing curriculum review with you.

Have you been to Galveston, Texas before? What tips do you have for our family?

Have a great day friends!

Be of sober spirit, be on alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8

Are you equipped with the full armor of God?

The Mind Is The Battleground Of Spiritual Attacks In 2020 The mind is the battleground where spiritual attacks occur. How do you set a watchman on the wall to guard yourself from the enemy in 2020 and win the battle?

We've been traveling a lot lately and haven't been eating as healthy as we should.

Being equipped with snacks both you and your children love takes intentionality.

What snack is your family favorite?

Healthy Kids Snack Ideas For School - Live Simply 22 healthy kids snack ideas for school (or home)! Plus, the best snack containers, how to pack healthy snacks for kids, and the best tips for packing snack.